Photo: Getty Images
June's Hurricane History - 2022
Bottom Line: Hurricane season is officially here and while the remnants of the first Pacific hurricane of the season, Agatha, could prove to be something we’ll have to contend with soon, a seven-year streak for the Atlantic hurricane season has been broken. For the first time since 2014, we didn’t have a named storm prior to the June 1st start of hurricane season. In Southeast Florida, the last storm to register hurricane force winds was Irma in 2017 as she made her way through the keys and up Florida’s west coast. The last hurricane to make a direct landfall in Southeast Florida was Wilma in 2005. We’ve been fortunate for quite a while, especially given how active recent seasons have been. Here’s to hoping we add another uneventful year to the tally.
According to NOAA, here’s what we should expect based on the midpoint of their guidance:
- 65% chance for an above active season
- 18 named storms (mid-point of range)
- 8 hurricanes, about half of which are expected to be major (cat 3 or above)
As for what June has historically produced... Since the onset of record keeping for tropical storms and hurricanes in 1851...
- 5% of all tropical storms
- 3% of all hurricanes
Something to keep in mind is that June storms generally form closer to the US and are more likely to make landfall. While just 3% of all hurricanes have formed in June, 7% of all landfalls in the US have occurred during the month. Also, historically, about 3% of the storms that form occur prior to hurricane season... So, we’re already part of the way through the season as it starts.